LIQUID NITROGEN FREEZERS AND SUPPORT EQUIPMENT

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Office of Public Health and Scientific Services Center for Surveillance, Epidemiology and Laboratory Services Division of Laboratory Systems intends to award a sole source firm-fixed price contract in the purchasing of customized 14 Nitrogen Freezers and Supplies (i.e. 840 racks) to nexAir LLC 3494 Peachtree Pkwy. Suwanee, GA 30024. This contract will be for 12 months with no option periods. The statutory authority for this sole source acquisition is 10 U.S.C. 2304 (c)(1) in accordance with FAR Part 6.302-1 only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy the agency requirement. The state of the art technology for achieving uniform, stable low temperatures is the use of specialized vacuum insulated freezers (also known as Dewars) and cryopreservation in vapor phase liquid nitrogen. nexAir LLC has the capability to provide freezer products that satisfy the need of the agency. nexAir freezers are compatible with the monitoring systems required to monitor our systems remotely, 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Their compatibility with software that allows remote and quick response alarms is the technology state of the art, competing products do not provide this critical feature. Additionally, design/dimension/footprint of the nexAir LN2 freezer products is compatible with the space allocation. nexAir' s vapor phase high capacity freezers can maintain temperatures as low as -190 degrees centigrade and have a unique remote monitoring probe system. A Pressure Differential technology is used for the probes to measure pressure at two points in the container to calculate LN2 level. The technology allows for the level of the LN2 in the tank to be easily adjusted on the controller and it allows for remote adjustment of the level or alarm, points on one or all of the freezers on the network. Additionally the pressure sensor tube has a constant purge of nitrogen gas to keep the line free of ice and debris. LN2 freezers made by other manufacturers use a direct reading probe, which are less sensitive and lack the remote adjustment capability to adjust LN2 fill levels. The ability to accurately monitor remotely and respond by adjusting LN2 levels when needed is an indispensable requirement for the agency to ensure preservation of specimens. The nexAir's customized freezers include compatibility with software that allows remote and quick response alarms which competing products cannot provide. NexAir has a confirmed track record of manufacturing and delivering the needed freezers in a timely manner from previous large purchases. The repository is at capacity and the repository is at capacity and is turning away potential users and therefore reliable time-lines are critical. The CDC currently uses nexAir LN2 freezers throughout the storage facility which allows for standardization of maintenance practices. Maintaining the current configuration of freezers is very important to the technicians who are familiar with the equipment. The racks and boxes which are part of the inventory system are the same and allow for flexibility in use of racks and quick transfer o specimens to back-up freezers if needed in an emergency. Lastly the bulk LN2 supply tank and delivery piping system are also provided by nexAir which reinforces the compatibility for all the components. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive quotations; however, all quotations/responses received within fifteen (15) days of the issuance of this notice will be considered by the government. A determination by the government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement Interested parties who believe they possess the capability to satisfy this requirement should submit capability statement demonstrating their ability to meet this requirement. All responses must be sent in writing to Mr. Philip Robinson via email to contact@example.gov using solicitation number 2015-Q-17533 in the subject line, no later than 12:00 PM Eastern Standard Time, August 14, 2015.